InfoSAWIT, SERUYAN – Demonstration that involved thousands of villagers of Bangkal, Sub district of Seruyan Raya, District of Seruyan, Central Kalimantan Province, ended in chaos and they burnt down the office of palm oil plantation company, PT. Haparan Masawit Bangun Persada I (PT HMBP).
The demonstration took for some days. It started on 16 September 2023. Many villagers were disappointed and protested that the company, PT. HMBP should provide plasma plantations. After they lose their patience, they broke and burnt down the office of the company on Thursday (21/9/2023).
Prior, since 16 September 2023 the villagers asked for PT. HMBP many times to fulfill the company’s promise to provide plasma plantations for the villagers of Bangkal. The promise was said in 2013. It was signed by the company represented by Director of Legal Best Agro International (the main company of PT. HMBP), HM. Wahyu Bima Dharta; General Manager, Paris Nasution, and RO Regional Office, M. Arief Setiawan. There were some points of agreement, such as, providing plasma plantations at least, to be developed in January 2014; every family would get plasma plantations for about 2 (two hectares).
The agreement was also signed by police chief and army commander who were in charge at the period. There were three representatives from the villagers. The document was also signed by officials of District of Seruyan, they were, Regent of Seruyan, Julhaidir; Assistant II of Seruyan Secretariat, Sugian Noor; Head of Sub district of Seruyan Raya, Rusnah; and Head of Village of Bangkal, Redes Nehang.
Police Chief of Seruyan, AKBP Ampi Mesias Von Bulow told that the demonstration was peaceful. The villagers claimed that the company should immediately realize its promise. Before the accident happened, the security officers were trying to facilitate the villagers to meet management of the company.
“Before the chaos happened, as security officers, we actually wanted to facilitate the villagers to meet the management of the company. We had six, they were, a female as head in duty of village, chairman of DAD, and some figures of the village. They should meet the management of the company,” Ampi Mesias told as InfoSAWIT quoted from Viva.co.id.
Before the meeting started, a pick-up vehicle full with many men, all of a sudden, rushed in high speed heading to the mill of the company. The villagers (from the vehicle) tried to get inside the mill. It was assumed, they wanted to make chaos. The security should block the vehicle and shot tear gas to stop the vehicle not entering the mill. In the end, the vehicle went from the location.
After it happened, the security officers should reinforce their position by having many officers to secure the office and the mill. But the villagers outside of the company, got angry because of the officers. They started breaking the posts and burnt the front office of the company. It was on Thursday, 21 September 2023, at about 15.30 WIB.
The anarchy went on until night. Some workers’ houses and teachers’ official residences that teach in the school where the company developed, should be burnt. The situation in the regions is so tense. It needs further cooperation to get it calm and solution on what the villagers protested. (T2)
